Alabama Department of Archives and History

Alabama Official Emblems, Symbols, and Honors

Alabama Historic Theatre

The Alabama Theatre opened on December 16, 1927, in downtown Birmingham, and was named the "Showplace of the South" by the movie vanguard Adolph Zuker. The theatre was once a part of the Paramount Theatre Chain. Numerous stars of Broadway and the Silver Screen have appeared on the stage, such as, John Barrymore, Roy Rogers, and Tallulah Bankhead. The theatre is also home to "The Mighty Wurlitzer" organ.

For 55 years , the Alabama Theatre held the citizens breathless with its beauty and elegance. In late 1981, the theatre closed it's doors. In 1987, Birmingham Landmarks, Inc., a non-profit organization, purchased the theatre and turned the movie palace into a Performing Arts Centre.
Each year, the Alabama Theatre for the Performing Arts hosts more than 250 evenings of entertainment. The theatre annually draws 400,000 patrons into downtown for a wide variety of events: broadway shows, ballet, opera, rock & roll, parties, weddings, fashion shows, beauty pageants and even classic films.

The Alabama Theatre for the Performing Arts was designated the state historic theatre in 1993 by Act no. 93-26.